Dog owners routinely transport their dogs within their cars. This can be done over long distances or simply to allow the dog to get out of the house while the owner is running an errand. No matter the reason, it is not uncommon for the owner to leave the dog unattended within the vehicle for short periods of time. Even over short periods of time the car can become too hot for the dog due to lack of air flow and shade for the dog to be in.
During the summer months the temperature inside a car can be well above the ambient temperature outside of the car. Every year many dogs are left in hot cars without adequate shade or ventilation. Some of these dogs eventually die due to the heat within the car, often without the owner realizing the danger until it is too late.
To combat this many owners will leave the windows rolled down slightly or entirely. This is suitable for smaller dogs that are present in the passenger space of the car, but larger dogs contained within the passenger space can escape over the window edge unless the window is sufficiently closed, reducing the likelihood of escape but also reducing air flow.
Often, large dogs are transported within the cargo area of an SUV, wagon, hatchback, or other vehicle with a rear-opening door, such as a lift gate, tail gate, swing gate, ambulance doors, or similar openings. This allows the dog to have sufficient room to stand and move around without being a distraction to the driver. Unfortunately, dogs contained within the cargo compartment of an SUV or wagon are most likely out of the path of the fresh air from windows and unable to escape the sunlight coming through the closed cargo compartment windows.
The prior art features the placement of mesh or screen devices to block the opening created by rolling down the window. Often these mechanisms require cumbersome attachment means and may not provide adequate shade and ventilation for a dog. These devices do not provide much, if any, shade and ventilation to the cargo area of a larger vehicle.